Translating flap drive door

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided for covering and uncovering a flap opening in an aircraft. The apparatus comprises a door member, a torque tube roller member, at least one roller member, and a biasing member. The door member may be adapted to cover and uncover a flap opening. The torque tube roller member may be attached with the door member, and may be adapted to be pushed by a torque tube member attached with a flap of an aircraft. The door member may be adapted to be driven from a closed position covering a flap opening into an open position uncovering a flap opening. The roller member may be attached with the door member and may be adapted to follow at least one track member. The biasing member may be attached with the door member for biasing the door member towards a closed position covering a flap opening.

1. An apparatus for covering and uncovering a flap opening in an aircraft comprising:
 a door member; 
 a torque tube member attached to a flap of an aircraft; 
 a flap opening; 
 separate track members disposed along opposite sides of the flap opening; 
 a torque tube roller member attached to the door member, wherein the torque tube roller member rotates relative to the door member around a rotation axis; and 
 a plurality of roller members attached to the door member, wherein the roller members are disposed at opposed sides of the door member, and the roller members are attached to and are configured to relatively move along the separate track members to move the door member from a position covering the flap opening to a position uncovering the flap opening; 
 wherein in one position the torque tube roller member is in contact with the torque tube member which is configured to rotate the torque tube roller member around the rotation axis relative to the door member, and to force the roller members to move along the separate track members thereby moving the door member from the position covering the flap opening to the position uncovering the flap opening. 
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a seal covering a periphery of the door member. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a pin which the torque tube roller member rotates around. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the pin is threaded and the torque tube roller member has an opening through the torque tube roller member with the opening receiving the threads of the pin. 
   
   
     5. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein an outer surface of the torque tube roller member is at least one of curved and concave in a direction along a longitudinal axis extending along the outer surface. 
   
   
     6. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the door member is one-piece. 
   
   
     7. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a biasing member attached to the door member. 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the biasing member is biasing the door member to cover the flap opening in the aircraft. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the biasing member is at least one of a spring and a gas spring. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the separate track members are disposed at a non-parallel angle to the rotation axis of the torque tube roller member so that the door member moves along an axis at the non-parallel angle to the rotation axis of the torque tube roller member as the door member moves from the position covering the flap opening to the position uncovering the flap opening. 
   
   
     11. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein in a first mode the flap opening is covered by the door member and movement of the flap of the aircraft does not cause the door member to open to uncover the flap opening, and in a second mode movement of the flap causes the door member to open to uncover the flap opening. 
   
   
     12. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the first mode is during cruise of the aircraft in which the apparatus is in a variable camber position, and the second mode is during take-off and landing of the aircraft. 
   
   
     13. The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the torque tube roller member is not in contact with the torque tube member in the variable camber position. 
   
   
     14. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a pin which the torque tube roller member rotates around, wherein the torque tube roller member moves relative to both the pin and the torque tube member.